Friday after the Third Sunday of End Time, 11/24/00

2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. --NKJV

In the name of the One to Whom every thought should be obedient, amen.

It is amazing how clever the arguments are against God's word. They range from attacks on the Bible itself, to attacks on when it is appropriate to use God's word. For example, Hebrew writing commonly gives and overview of something, and then goes back to fill in certain details. You see this techniques used throughout Holy Scripture. Because of this, some people argue that the Bible is just a mishmash of stories that were passed on by word of mouth, and then thrown together by an editor who wasn't very skilled at blending the stories. Others argue that because of the separation of Church and State in our country, we should not bring our religion into the polling booth. But we are a democracy, and your beliefs should shape the way you vote. There are similar argument on moral issues. What is most disturbing about these arguments, is that we all come up with such arguments to justify sin. Our Old Adam looks for any excuse it can find to say that sin is OK.

Such arguments leave us floating in the sea of man's reason, and blown about by our sinful desires. That is not the way it is supposed to be. We are to make war against such arguments, and we are to use God's word to wage that war. Notice that St. Paul doesn't tell us that every thought will be brought into captivity to the obedience of human logic. Instead he says that we bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ. When we bring our thoughts into captivity to the obedience of Christ, we stand on firm ground. We know for certain what is right, and we will not be led into damning sins. God gave us His word to keep us in the True Faith. By His word we will be saved. Amen.

Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, guard and protect our precious faith by Your holy Word. Keep us from being led astray by the clever arguments of others and even ourselves. Help us to study Your word so that there is no question in our minds about what You expect from us. Show us in Your word that Jesus is our Savior Who has fulfilled all righteousness, and has died for all sin. We ask this in His name, amen.

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